According to Muggle research, the Shetland Islands have traces of human activities since 3000 BC.
This island has changed owners several times. In the hundreds of years after the Roman Empire, the Vikings basically completely controlled the islands. In the 8th and 9th centuries, the ancient Scandinavians invaded the islands and ruled the islands until the 15th century. Later, the King of Norway pawned the islands to the Kingdom of Scotland for financial support. From then on, the Shetland Islands were officially included in the territory of Scotland.
This northernmost island in the UK has always been sparsely populated. To this day, there are only 15 scattered islands in this sea area that are inhabited, with a population of less than 30,000.
If it weren't for the fact that in recent years, those rich people who have nothing to do prefer to run to remote places. This weird behavior has brought certain economic benefits, I am afraid that the remaining people will soon move to big cities. inside.
John Sr. was not a native of Shetland, or even Aberdeen.
He comes from Newcastle, in the east of England. During World War II, he was drafted into the army and rose through the ranks. Finally, he fought against the invading enemies on this sea area. That tragic battle left one of his legs less useful. When the weather was wet and cold, the injured leg was always sore and stiff, making it difficult for him to sleep.
But Old John never complained.
After all, in order to resist the invasion, the troops he belonged to fought a little-known war in this sea area and all members were wiped out. Only he survived.
After the war, John returned to Newcastle. He thought he could live a happy and peaceful life, but when he returned to the home where he thought about day and night, there was not only his wife lying on the bed in the bedroom, but also another man with a very white butt.
Old John only remembered that the man's buttocks were very white, but not his appearance, because the moment he saw this scene, Old John took out his gun and shot the man's head off, and looked sadly at the man who was screaming. After his wife, John Sr. ran away from home.
Everything is fate.
Old John returned to the place where he had fought. He used his post-military allowance to buy an apartment in the town closest to the coast. However, over the years, he had hardly lived in that apartment. He preferred to huddle up and stand in the lighthouse on the edge of the sea cliff.
The night watchman of the lighthouse - this is the job assigned to him by the people in the town after they knew that he was a veteran who had stopped the enemy.
A few years ago, this job was indeed of some use. He could light the way home for fishermen who were lost in the tide. But these years, people in the town almost never go to the sea, and they prefer to serve. Those tourists who come here. The job is safer and makes more money.
Boom, boom, boom!
The cold, roaring sea last night seemed like a dream. When the sun rose, the boundless sea returned to a jewel-like blue. Golden sunshine shines on the beach, and seagulls fly freely along the coast.
Someone knocked on the rusty subway door, which also woke up Old John, whose legs had been hurting all night and he barely slept.
"You bastards, if you don't stop, I will stab you with the barrel of a gun in front of your parents!"
The unshaven old John roared angrily as he climbed up from the bed.
In the past, fishermen returning from the sea would come here to give some gifts from the sea to express their gratitude. However, since this activity that has been passed down on this land for thousands of years has become less popular, there are very few people here in Old John. When he comes, only some naughty boys living in the town will come to him for fun.
These little bastards would steal the dried fish he dried on the rocks and feed them to the seagulls, or smash the old gas lamps on top of the lighthouse with rocks.
Boom, boom, boom!
The knock on the door sounded again, but this time, old John's eyes flashed with a trace of vigilance.
If those little guys really came to cause trouble again, then they should have been scared away by the scolding just now, and they would not knock on his door again so unscrupulously!
Old John easily took off the shotgun hanging on the wall, risked his waist, limped down the spiral staircase, and finally stood behind the iron door.
Click!
With the bullet loaded, Old John quickly opened the iron door. Before he could open the door, he picked up the barrel of the gun and pointed it at the head of the person who knocked on the door fiercely!
"What on earth are you doing?"
A cry of surprise and the ethereal cry of seagulls flew high into the blue sky.
Perhaps because of the dim light, Old John's living room on the lower floor of the lighthouse looked very messy, with scattered objects piled everywhere, and the dried fish hanging from the ceiling overhead also filled the room with an unpleasant fishy smell. taste.
"This place is similar in style to Hagrid's house——"
There were no stools in the room, so Amosta lifted up a corner of his coat and sat comfortably on the blackened steps, looking at the room with interest.
"Hagrid?"
The water on the stove was already boiling, and he couldn't stop thinking. Old John limped and picked up the kettle to make tea for Sirius and Amosta. When Amosta said this, Old John said in a rough voice. asked rudely,
"He also looks at the lighthouse?"
"Oh, no -" Sirius answered the question with a smile, "But it's almost the same. He's the gamekeeper at Hogwarts."
"Hogwarts? Doesn't sound like a decent place!"
"It's true -" Amosta looked at this old man who was a bit reckless in both his appearance and personality, and couldn't help laughing. "It's indeed not very decent. It is a school for disciplining children with problems. Many little ones have committed crimes after graduation. And was sent to jail.”
Sirius rolled his eyes at Amosta.
For a long time, Amosta Brain's power has made everyone subconsciously ignore his age, and Sirius has always regarded him as a peer, but it will be Amosta's state when getting along with this kind-hearted Muggle old man. Sirius suddenly realized that Amosta was just a young man in his early twenties.
Although he was very old, Old John was still very clear-headed. He saw that the gray-haired young man was just joking, and he laughed roughly a few times. While he was pouring tea for Sirius, he narrowed his eyes. Looking at Sirius carefully, he nodded with satisfaction after the cup was full.
"Looks like you've found your life, young man—"
"Yes, although we experienced some twists and turns, fortunately the final result was pretty good -"
Sirius took a deep breath and said. He rubbed the rim of the cup and looked at this healthy eighty-year-old man with a smile.
"How are you? Does your leg still hurt?"
"I'm afraid this old problem will be carried into the coffin!"
After pouring tea for the gray-haired young man, Old John threw the kettle on the table and looked around. Since there was no place to sit, he just put his butt on the edge of the table.
"Speaking of which, what are you planning to do when you come back this time, young man?"
"Just call me Sirius - I promised you, John, that I will come back to see you whenever I get the chance. After all, you saved my life -"
"Still full of lies, just like before!"
Old John muttered, and his unceremonious remarks made Sirius's cheeks appear slightly embarrassed.
"You seem more honest, little one. You don't seem like the glib type!"
Old John turned his attention to Amosta again.
Little guy. It’s been a long time since anyone called him that--
Amosta laughed for a moment, but considering that he was a World War II veteran, there was nothing wrong with calling him that in terms of his grade. Amosta scratched his cheek,
"That's right, Mr. John, we plan to go to sea from here--"
"Going to sea?"
Old John chirped, his old face carved by the wind and frost, his brows furrowed fiercely,
"Going to sea this season is not a good choice. Typhoons may come at any time. Unless you are here just to commit suicide, I don't recommend you do this!"
(End of chapter)
